A Brain Injury Can Happen To Anyone

According to the Brain Injury Association of America, brain injuries occur more often than breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and AIDS, combined. And in spite of the fact that more than 2% of the U.S. population live with a disability as a result of a traumatic brain injury, public awareness of the devastating impact of brain injuries is extremely low. Brain injuries are the leading cause of death and disability world-wide. Despite these statistics, and the high percentage of brain injuries in comparison to other life-threatening illnesses, there is less funding provided. There are also fewer services available for survivors of brain injuries.

Very few people understand the problems associated with brain injuries. The majority know nothing about brain injuries until it happens to them or their loved one. When my partner sustained a traumatic brain injury, I was one of those people. At this time many brain injury survivors will feel the numerous losses associated with brain injury - many will experience the loss of some family members and often their friends. They will continue their journey through life with injuries that are invisible to a public that has little understanding or awareness of what it means to have a brain injury. It is a long, lonely walk for those people living with the effects of brain injuries.

The good news is that most traumatic brain injuries can be prevented. Educating young people on how to prevent brain injuries should be as important as teaching children the rudiments of math and English. Education should emphasize safety and how to reduce risk factors. Most traumatic brain injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents, falls, sports injuries or violence and often by carelessness.

By adhering to the following rules, most of us could prevent brain injuries: a) don't drink and drive; b) wear seat belts; c) wear approved safety helmets when biking, snowboarding, motorcycling, etc.; d) use proper equipment when playing sports; e) make common sense choices and decisions; f) use caution.

The effects of brain injury are as follows: cognitive, physical and psychological difficulties, short-term memory loss, lack of information processing skills, poor concentration and chronic fatigue, difficulty in completing tasks, depression, mood swings, anger and irritability. The impact of these injuries is not only felt by the brain injured survivor but by his family, the health care system and the community.

Because of the lack of public awareness concerning the number of brain injuries that occur each year, little is done for the survivors. Support services are wherever the family can find them but most fall through the cracks. Because of the lack of services and awareness, a large portion of those in the prison system have been discovered to have previously incurred brain injuries. It is important that the public be made aware of the causes, impact and prevention of traumatic brain injuries.

In the United States, March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. In Canada, it is June. It is important for each of us to remember that brain injuries can happen to all of us.